U.S. patent number 10,295,400 [Application Number 15/687,383] was granted by the patent office on 2019-05-21 for beverage coaster with integrated electronics.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Perfect Company, Inc.. The grantee listed for this patent is Perfect Company, Inc.. Invention is credited to Philip Trevor Odom, Michael Wayne Wallace.
![](/patent/grant/10295400/US10295400-20190521-D00000.png)
![](/patent/grant/10295400/US10295400-20190521-D00001.png)
![](/patent/grant/10295400/US10295400-20190521-D00002.png)
![](/patent/grant/10295400/US10295400-20190521-D00003.png)
![](/patent/grant/10295400/US10295400-20190521-D00004.png)
![](/patent/grant/10295400/US10295400-20190521-D00005.png)
![](/patent/grant/10295400/US10295400-20190521-D00006.png)
![](/patent/grant/10295400/US10295400-20190521-D00007.png)
![](/patent/grant/10295400/US10295400-20190521-D00008.png)
![](/patent/grant/10295400/US10295400-20190521-D00009.png)
![](/patent/grant/10295400/US10295400-20190521-D00010.png)
United States Patent |
10,295,400 |
Wallace , et al. |
May 21, 2019 |
Beverage coaster with integrated electronics
Abstract
A beverage coaster includes integrated electronics, such as a
power system, a load cell, an analog to digital converter and a
wireless transceiver. The beverage coaster communicates with a
computing device to send information, such as a first weight, a
second weight, and a third weight of objects placed on the beverage
coaster. The first weight may be associated with a container, a
second weight may be associated with a first ingredient, and the
third weight may be associated with a second ingredient. The
computing device is configured to display information related to
the first, second, and third weights and provide instructions to a
user thereof for maintaining proper proportions of the first and
second ingredients as the user adds them to the container.
Inventors: |
Wallace; Michael Wayne
(Vancouver, WA), Odom; Philip Trevor (Portland, OR) |
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Perfect Company, Inc. |
Vancouver |
WA |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
Perfect Company, Inc.
(Vancouver, WA)
|
Family
ID: |
65436021 |
Appl.
No.: |
15/687,383 |
Filed: |
August 25, 2017 |
Prior Publication Data
|
|
|
|
Document
Identifier |
Publication Date |
|
US 20190063988 A1 |
Feb 28, 2019 |
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G01G
19/52 (20130101); G01G 23/3735 (20130101); G08B
5/226 (20130101); G01G 23/32 (20130101); G01G
3/1404 (20130101); A47G 23/0309 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
G08B
1/08 (20060101); G08B 5/22 (20060101); A47G
23/03 (20060101); G01G 19/52 (20060101); G01G
23/32 (20060101) |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Nguyen; Phung
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Lee & Hayes, P.C.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A beverage coaster, comprising: a battery; one or more load
cells selectively energized by the battery; a wireless transceiver;
a user interface comprising a button and a light; a housing
encompassing the battery, the one or more load cells, the wireless
transceiver, and the user interface, the housing having an upper
beverage holding surface that is less than sixteen square inches
and having a thickness that is less than one-half inch thick; and a
plurality of feet, the feet supporting the upper beverage holding
surface and configured to support a weight of the beverage coaster,
wherein the one or more load cells comprise one or more half-bridge
load cells, the load cells being disposed between individual ones
of the plurality of feet and the upper beverage holding
surface.
2. The beverage coaster as in claim 1, wherein the user interface
comprises only the button and the light.
3. The beverage coaster as in claim 1, wherein the wireless
transceiver is a Bluetooth low energy transceiver and is configured
to pair with a computing device.
4. The beverage coaster as in claim 3, wherein the one or more load
cells are selectively energized by the battery in response to the
wireless transceiver pairing with the computing device.
5. A system, comprising: a beverage coaster, the beverage coaster
comprising: one or more load cells; a wireless transceiver; an
upper surface configured to hold a beverage container and transfer
a weight of the beverage container to the one or more load cells;
and a computing device having one or more processors and one or
more memories storing instructions that, when executed by the one
or more processors, cause the computing device to: wirelessly
communicate with the beverage coaster to receive data associated
with a load exerted upon the upper surface; provide a user
interface that displays a visual indication associated with the
load exerted upon the upper surface; and provide mixology
instructions to a user of the computing device to assist the user
in adding one or more ingredients into the beverage container.
6. The system as in claim 5, wherein the upper surface of the
beverage coaster has an area that is less than sixteen square
inches.
7. The system as in claim 5, wherein a thickness of the beverage
coaster is less than one-half of an inch.
8. The system as in claim 5, wherein the beverage coaster energizes
the one or more load cells with electricity in response to a
command from the computing device.
9. The system as in claim 5, wherein the beverage coaster further
comprises a light source, the light source configured to provide
feedback to a user of the beverage coaster in response to a signal
received from the computing device.
10. The system as in claim 9, wherein the feedback provided by the
light source is associated with the load exerted upon the upper
surface and wherein the feedback changes in response to a change in
the load exerted upon the upper surface.
11. The system as in claim 5, wherein the instructions further
cause the computing device to receive a user input from the
beverage coaster, the user input comprising data associated with a
load exerted upon the beverage coaster above a threshold force for
a time period below a threshold time.
12. The system as in claim 11, wherein the instructions further
cause the computing device to send, in response to the user input,
a command to the beverage coaster.
13. A method for using a beverage coaster with integrated
electronics, comprising: activating the integrated electronics, the
integrated electronics including a wireless transceiver and one or
more load cells; establishing a wireless communication connection
with a computing device; sending, to the computing device, first
data associated with a first load being applied to an upper surface
of the beverage coaster; sending, to the computing device, second
data associated with a second load being applied to the upper
surface of the beverage coaster; and storing, by the computing
device, usage data associated with the first data, the usage data
indicating an identification of an ingredient and a volume of the
ingredient.
14. The method as in claim 13, further comprising activating a
first visual indicator of the beverage coaster, the first visual
indicator being associated with the first data, and activating a
second visual indicator in response to the second data.
15. The method as in claim 14, wherein the first visual indicator
is a light exhibiting a first color, and the second visual
indicator is the light exhibiting a second color.
16. The method as in claim 13, further comprising sending, by the
computing device, the usage data associated with the first data to
a central server.
17. The method as in claim 13, further comprising presenting, on a
display associated with the computing device and in response to the
usage data, an offer to purchase additional volume of the
ingredient.
Description
BACKGROUND
The art of mixology requires the mixing of various ingredients in
specified ratios. Many recipes for mixed drinks include a measured
volume of liquid ingredients to be mixed. However, maintaining a
precise ratio of one ingredient to the next can be a difficult
balance, especially if one of the ingredients is added to the
concoction in an incorrect volume. An imbalance of one or more
ingredients that deviates from the prescribed ratio in a mixed
beverage can lead to one or more problems. These may include
beverages that are not pleasing to the taste, wasted ingredients,
ingredient cost changes due to ingredient adjustments, and a
variable raw material cost, particularly where relatively expensive
ingredients are used.
Furthermore, beverage distributors may desire that their beverages
are used in mixed drinks in a way that highlights the flavor of a
beverage in a pleasing way and thus, have a desire for partakers of
the beverage to properly mix the beverages according to trusted
mixology ratios set forth in recipes.
Historically, it has been difficult to recreate mixed beverages
with certainty because precise ratios are needed. In addition,
oftentimes the ingredients are not accurately measured.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The detailed description is described with reference to the
accompanying figures. In the figures, the left-most digit(s) of a
reference number identifies the figure in which the reference
number first appears. The use of the same reference numbers in
different figures indicates similar or identical components or
features.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a system
providing for accurate mixology utilizing a beverage coaster with
integrated electronics.
FIG. 2 is an isometric diagram of the underside of an example
beverage coaster with integrated electronics.
FIG. 3A is a side view of an example beverage coaster with
integrated electronics.
FIG. 3B is a cross-sectional view of a beverage coaster taken along
the parting line A-A of FIG. 2.
FIG. 4A is a front view block diagram of an example load cell for
use in a beverage coaster.
FIG. 4B is a top view block diagram of an example load cell for use
in a beverage coaster.
FIG. 5 is a flow diagram of an example process for a beverage
coaster in communication with a computing device.
FIG. 6 is a flow diagram of an example process for a computing
device communicating with a beverage coaster and providing mixology
ratios.
FIG. 7 is an example user interface for display on a computing
device.
FIG. 8 is an example user interface for display on a computing
device.
FIG. 9 is an example user interface for display on a computing
device showing a build column as weight data is received from a
beverage coaster.
FIG. 10 illustrates a system in which a plurality of beverage
coasters provide information to a common computing resource.
While implementations are described herein by way of example, those
skilled in the art will recognize that the implementations are not
limited to the examples or drawings described. It should be
understood that the drawings and detailed description thereto are
not intended to limit implementations to the particular form
disclosed but, on the contrary, the intention is to cover all
modifications, equivalents and alternatives falling within the
spirit and scope as defined by the appended claims. The headings
used herein are for organizational purposes only and are not meant
to be used to limit the scope of the description or the claims. As
used throughout this application, the word "may" is used in a
permissive sense (i.e., meaning having the potential to), rather
than the mandatory sense (i.e., meaning must). Similarly, the words
"include," "including," and "includes" mean including, but not
limited to.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to, among other
things, methods and systems for providing a beverage coaster having
integrated electronics. According to some embodiments, the beverage
coaster has an integrated scale that measures incremental additions
to a container placed on the coaster. The coaster may also support
an indication of the weight on a related display. The display may
be on a user interface of the coaster and/or of a computing device,
or similar.
With reference to FIG. 1, the system 100 includes a beverage
coaster 102 and a computing device 104 that are configured for
wireless communication 106, such as through a near field
communication protocol, which in some embodiments, is Bluetooth.
More specifically, the Bluetooth low energy protocol ("BLE") may be
utilized in some embodiments for uni-directional or bi-directional
communication between the beverage coaster 102 and the computing
device 104. BLE typically requires less power than many other forms
of wireless communication which allows the beverage coaster 102 to
remain in operation over longer periods of time before charging or
swapping one or more batteries within the beverage coaster 102 is
required.
The beverage coaster 102 may include at least a power system 110,
one or more load cells 112, an analog to digital converter ("A/D
converter") 114, a wireless transceiver 116, such as a Bluetooth
low energy transceiver, and a user interface 118.
The power system 110 may include one or more batteries to provide
power to the components within the beverage coaster 102. The one or
more batteries may be button cell batteries, such as batteries
conforming to the CR2032 standard which supply 3V. Two or more
batteries may be arranged in series to provide any multiple of 3V.
IN some embodiments, two batteries are provided in series to
provide 6V, which may be regulated to any desired voltage, such as
3V. Of course, the power system 110 may include a corded connection
to electrical supply provided by a wall outlet or other external
power source, as desired. Furthermore, a charging port may be
provided that accepts a charging cable to charge the one or more
internal batteries from an external power source.
The one or more load cells 112 may be any suitable load cell, such
as, for example, one or more half-bridge load cells, quarter-bridge
load cells, or full-bridge load cells, or any combination of
various load cells. Moreover, the load cells may be arranged in a
suitable arrangement to detect small deflections in the load cell,
and may be arranged in a Wheatstone bridge configuration. According
to some implementations, the one or more load cells 112 are
energized with electricity, and deflection of the load cell due to
weight being applied causes a change in resistance to the load
cell. Even small changes to the resistance of the load cell can be
detected and converted into a precise weight measurement.
The A/D converter 114 may convert the analog input resistance
measurement of the load cell to a digital signal proportional to a
weight measurement responsible for causing the change in resistance
of the load cell.
The wireless transceiver 116 may be configured to communicate with
a computing device that is separate from the beverage coaster 102.
In some embodiments, the wireless transceiver 116 utilizes the
Bluetooth low energy technology, which provides for low power and
low energy usage that allows a battery to last for a long time
within the device before needing to be recharged or replaced. The
low power requirements of BLE technology may allow the beverage
coaster 102 to always remain powered on. In other embodiments, the
beverage coaster 102 may utilize proximity sensing technology to
selectively activate the wireless transceiver 116 and energize the
load cell 112. Still other ways of activating the wireless
transceiver 116 and energizing the load cell 112 may be used,
including sensing a weight being applied to the beverage coaster
102, or through the user interface 118 of the beverage coaster. In
some cases, the wireless transceiver 116 may be active and the load
cell 112 may only be energized upon a wireless connection with a
computing device 104 that indicates a readiness to receive a weight
measurement from the beverage coaster 102.
In some embodiments, the user interface 118 may comprise a button
(such as 202 of FIG. 2). The user interface 118 may also (or
alternatively) comprise a light, such as a light emitting diode,
that can provide feedback to a user. The light may emanate from the
perimeter of the beverage coaster 102, from underneath the beverage
coaster 102, from the top of the beverage coaster 102, or from some
other location or portions of the beverage coaster 102, or similar.
The light source may be mounted to a surface of the beverage
coaster 102. In this way, it may protrude through the beverage
coaster 102 and provide direct light. The light source also may be
mounted inside the beverage coaster 102 and provide indirect light
such as through one or more translucent or transparent portions of
the beverage coaster 102, or similar.
In one embodiment, the user interface comprises only a single
button 202 and a single light. The button 202 may be used to turn
on and turn off the device, and may also be used to put the
beverage coaster 102 into a pairing mode. The light may be used to
provide visual feedback to the user. The light may serve to
indicate successful pairing with a computing device 104 and/or to
indicate that a target measurement has been met, or for some other
purpose, or similar.
According to some embodiments, the user interface may comprise the
top surface of the beverage coaster 102. The one or more load cells
112 are configured to detect a deflection of the load cell 112 due
to a weight being placed upon the beverage coaster 102. As such,
the load cells 112 can detect a force applied to the beverage
coaster 102. The beverage coaster 102 may be configured to detect a
quick application of a force on the beverage coaster 102, such as a
tap. In this way, the load cells may detect a tap on the beverage
coaster 102 which may be associated with a user input. The user
input through the load cells may correspond to an application of a
weight for a time period below a threshold. For instance, if a user
applies a load to the beverage coaster 102 that exceeds a
predetermined weight threshold for a time period below a time
threshold, the input may be interpreted as a command to activate
the wireless transceiver 116 and enter a pairing mode.
Similarly, the application of a force on the beverage coaster that
exceeds a force threshold may be interpreted as a user input. In
other words, user input may be provided to the beverage coaster 102
based upon weight, a time duration, or a combination, or similar.
Furthermore, where the beverage coaster 102 contains multiple load
cells, a user input might correspond to a location on the coaster
at which the user provides the user input. In these embodiments,
the beverage coaster 102 may have one or more indications that
identify where a user should apply a force to indicate a particular
input. For example, the beverage coaster 102 may have markings on a
surface that indicate a location for the user to tap to turn on the
electronics. As another example, markings may indicate a location
for entering pairing mode, and another indicated location to
perform a tare function. Other user inputs may be provided by
tapping a surface of the beverage coaster 102 at various locations,
with various forces, for varying durations, or a particular number
of times.
In response to the aforementioned user inputs, the beverage coaster
102 can send data associated with the force to the computing device
104, and the computing device 104 then can interpret the data. In
response, the computing device then may send one or more commands
to the beverage coaster 102.
FIG. 2 illustrates one embodiment of the underside of a beverage
coaster 200. The beverage coaster 200 has a button 202, which can
be configured to receive user input, such as for turning on/off the
integrated electronics within the beverage coaster, or for some
other purpose. A cover 204 may be provided to allow access to the
power system within the beverage coaster 200. One or more batteries
may be accessible under the cover 204 such as for replacement. In
some embodiments, the batteries are rechargeable and can be
recharged by inserting an appropriate charging plug into a
receptacle built into the beverage coaster 200.
One or more feet 206 are configured to engage a surface when the
beverage coaster 200 is place upright onto the surface. In the
illustrated embodiment, the feet 206 protrude through an opening
208 in the bottom surface 210 of the beverage coaster 102. The feet
206 may have anti-slip properties to inhibit the beverage coaster
200 from sliding across a surface and to provide a more stable
platform for supporting a container with liquids.
With reference to FIG. 3A, a front view of one example beverage
coaster 300 is illustrated. A top surface 302 is generally planar
and configured to support a container placed thereupon. A bottom
surface 304 is spaced a distance from the top surface 302 and
defines a thickness of the beverage coaster 300. In many
embodiments the thickness is on the order of less than about 0.250
inches, or less than about 0.375 inches, or less than about 0.5
inches. The chosen thickness is not merely a design choice, but
rather, is desired not only for the stability of the beverage
coaster 300, but also to enable the function of a beverage coaster,
as such. That is, a device that is larger than about 0.5 inches
thick will not look like a beverage coaster and will not make its
purpose known based upon its design. Accordingly, if a user
observes a device that is thicker than about 0.5 inches, the
purpose of the device will not be apparent. Moreover, elevating a
beverage container upon a device that is larger than about 0.5
inches can increase the risk of tipping the beverage container and
spilling its contents. Therefore, a low profile beverage coaster,
such as less than about 0.5 inches, provides an improved and more
functional device than one that has a greater thickness.
One or more feet 306 extend beyond the bottom surface 304 and are
configured to contact a surface upon which the beverage coaster 300
is placed. Preferably, the feet extend a similar distance to each
other beyond the bottom surface 304 such that they all contact the
surface to provide a stable platform upon which to place a
container.
With reference to FIG. 3B, a cross-sectional view is illustrated
that is taken along the line A-A for FIG. 2. As illustrated, one or
more feet 306 extend through apertures 308 in the bottom surface
304 to allow the feet 306 to extend therethrough. The feet 306 may
be outfitted with a non-slip pad 310 at the distal end that is
selected to inhibit the beverage coaster 300 from sliding across a
surface. The non-slip pad 310 may be formed of any suitable
material, but in some embodiments, may be formed of an elastomer,
such as rubber, plastic, a rubberized polymer, a combination of
materials, or other such non-slip material.
The feet 306 have a proximal end within the beverage coaster 300
that is coupled to the upper surface 302 such that weight applied
to the upper surface 302 is transferred to the feet 306. The
proximal end of the feet 306 is attached to a load cell 312 which
is, in turn, attached to the upper surface 302. Thus, as a load is
applied to the top surface 302 of the beverage coaster 300, the
weight is transferred to the load cell 312 and to the feet 306. The
weight causes an elastic deformation of the load cell 312, which
registers a change in its resistance due to the deformation. The
change in resistance is converted by the A/D converter into a
numerical value that can be associated with a measured weight.
The beverage coaster 300 has a housing 314 that encompasses the
power source, the load cells, the wireless transceiver, and the A/D
converter. In some examples, the housing 314 of the beverage
coaster 300 is configured to fit within a four inch square and is
less than about half an inch thick. In some embodiments, the
beverage coaster 300 has an upper surface 302 configured to contact
a beverage container and is sized to accommodate the beverage
container. That is, the upper surface may be sized to be about
sixteen square inches, or may be less than sixteen square inches,
such as less than a four-inch by four-inch square. In embodiments
in which the beverage coaster 300 is shaped generally circular when
viewed from above, the beverage coaster 300 may have a diameter of
less than about 4.5 inches, or a diameter of less than about 4
inches. In addition, the upper surface of the beverage coaster 200
may be formed of any suitable material, such as, for example,
plastic, cork, wood, a composite material, or some other waterproof
or liquid absorbent material.
With reference to FIGS. 4A and 4B, one embodiment 400 of a foot 402
with load cell 404 is represented. The foot 402 generally includes
a mount 406 that is configured to contact the inner surface of the
beverage coaster and mount thereto. Mounting may be through any
suitable method, such as by mechanical or chemical fastening, such
as screws, adhesives, welding, interference fit, or the like. The
foot 402 may include a non-slip pad 408 that contacts a supporting
surface, such as a counter or bar top, when the beverage coaster is
placed upon it. The non-slip pad, in some embodiments, is formed of
an elastomer.
The mount 406 is attached to a flex member 410 which may be
cantilevered from the mount 406. In some embodiments, the mount 406
and the flex member 410 are formed of a single piece and are thus
integrated. The flex member 410 has a strain gauge 412 coupled
thereto. The strain gauge may be adhered or otherwise bonded to the
flex member 410. The flex member 410 may also be connected to the
foot 402. In use, when a load is placed upon the beverage coaster,
the mount 406 experiences the load and transfer the load to the
flex member 410 through the cantilevered portion 414. In response,
the flex member 410 elastically deforms and transfers the load to
the foot 402. As the flex member 410 deforms, the strain gauge 412
also deforms, which causes a change in the resistance of the strain
gauge due to its changing physical geometry. The change in
resistance can be measured and correlated to the load placed upon
the beverage coaster.
The change in resistance can be measured by a Wheatstone bridge and
the analog electrical signal can be converted to a digital signal
by the A/D converter. Through calibration, the digital signal can
be correlated with a weight. According to some embodiments, the
load cell can measure loads within a range of about 3 kg with a
resolution of about 1 gram.
One or more load cells 404 can be implemented into a single
beverage coaster. In some implementations, four load cells 404 are
arranged within the beverage coaster. While the beverage coaster
can be any suitable shape, such as square, rounded square,
circular, annular, toroidal, or any other desired shape, in those
instances in which a beverage coaster generally resembles a
polygon, one load cell may be positioned in the vicinity of each
corner. For example, where the beverage coaster is a rounded
square, four load cells may be placed, one near each of the four
corners. Where the beverage coaster is generally circular, three,
four, or more load cells may be radially spaced about the beverage
coaster.
FIGS. 5-7 are flow diagrams showing several processes for using a
beverage coaster according to embodiments disclosed herein. It
should be appreciated that the logical operations described herein
with respect to FIGS. 5-7 may be implemented in software, in
firmware, in special purpose digital logic, and any combination
thereof. It should also be appreciated that more or fewer
operations or steps may be performed than what is shown in the
figures and described herein. These operations may also be
performed in parallel, or in a different order than those described
herein.
FIG. 5 illustrates an example process of a beverage coaster in
communication with a computing device. At block 502, the
electronics within the beverage coaster are activated. This may be
performed, for example, by depressing a button on the beverage
coaster, by tapping on the coaster to register an input through the
load cell, or through some other mechanism. As another example, the
beverage coaster may be "always on" and running in a low power
state until the beverage coaster links with a computing device
through its wireless transceiver. In other embodiments, the
beverage coaster includes a piezoelectric transducer, and in
response to a mechanical input, such as a load being place on the
coaster, a shaking of the coaster, or a tapping on the coaster, the
piezoelectric transducer converts the kinetic energy into
electrical potential energy sufficient to "wake up" the beverage
coaster and activate the coaster electronics, such as the wireless
transceiver or the load cells or both.
The beverage coaster may enter a sleep state, or a low power state,
in the absence of a wireless signal received by the wireless
transceiver, after a predetermined amount of time with no activity
or wireless communication, or in the absence of a load upon the
beverage coaster for a predetermined period of time. A sleep state
may also be entered by user input, such as through pushing a button
or a series or pattern of taps on the beverage coaster, or through
an input into the computing device that sends a signal to the
beverage coaster with a command to enter the sleep state.
At block 504, the beverage coaster pairs with a computing device,
such as by broadcasting its presence over a BLE signal as a
discoverable device. The pairing mode may be initiated every time
the beverage coaster is turned on, or in response to a user input,
such as pushing a button, or introducing a load on the load cell.
Once the beverage coaster and the computing device are paired, data
can be exchanged between the two. For instance, the beverage
coaster may send a digital signal output from the A/D converter
that corresponds to a weight measurement. Similarly, the computing
device may send a command to the beverage coaster, such as a tare
command or a calibration signal.
At block 506, a first weight measurement is sent to the computing
device. Assuming that the load cells have previously been
calibrated, the first weight measurement may indicate the presence
of a container on top of the beverage coaster. The computing device
may provide a notification that a container has been placed on the
beverage coaster, and may additionally identify the container based
upon comparison of its weight to the known weights of various
containers stored in a database.
At block 508, the beverage coaster communications a second weight
measurement with the computing device. The second weight
measurement may be associated with a substance being put into the
container. Moreover, the second weight measurement may continually
or periodically updated as a substance is being put into the
container. For example, as a user pours liquid into the container,
the beverage coaster may continually update the running total
weight that has been added. The weight measurement communicated by
the beverage coaster to the computing device may happen as fast as
is practicable given hardware and software delay times and any
wireless communication delay. In many instances, the delay times
are so miniscule that the weight measurement being delivered to the
computing device may appear to be instantaneous, or in real-time.
As used herein, the phrase "real-time" is used to mean as fast as
is practicable given latency in hardware, software, and
communication. It should be appreciated that communicating a weight
measurement to the computing device may include computing a digital
signal that is translated by the computing device into a weight
that can be displayed on the computing device. It does not
necessarily indicate that the beverage coaster has calculated an
actual weight based upon the load cell signal and communicates an
actual weight measurement, although the beverage coaster could be
configured in this manner.
FIG. 6 illustrates an example process for using the beverage
coaster from the perspective of the computing device. As previously
indicated, some of the processes illustrated in FIG. 6 may be
omitted, rearranged, or additional steps may be introduced. At
block 602, the computing device receives input indicating one or
more available ingredients. For example, a user may indicate to the
computing device which alcoholic ingredients are available to the
user for preparing a mixed beverage. The identification may further
include a volume of the ingredient that is available. For example,
a user may indicate that 10 fluid ounces of vodka and 750 mL of gin
are available for preparing mixed beverages. This information may
be stored in a database on the computing device. Moreover, as the
computing device becomes aware that the user has used some of these
ingredients to prepare beverages, the available amount of
ingredients may be automatically updated. Furthermore, when the
amount of available ingredients drops below a threshold amount, the
computing device may prompt the user that the available ingredients
is below a threshold and offer the user the opportunity to purchase
additional ingredients.
At block 604, the computing device receives an input associated
with the selection of an available recipe. The computing device may
display one or more recipes that are available for selection. The
user may indicate a desired recipe, such as by utilizing a touch
screen on the computing device to indicate a desired recipe. The
available recipes may be sorted, filtered, or otherwise organized
for viewing. For instance, one or more recipes may be tagged as
favorite recipes and can be recalled quickly. Available recipes may
also be filtered based upon the available ingredients stored within
the database.
At block 606, the computing device displays the recipe ingredients.
This may be in response to a user selecting a number of servings,
upon which the quantity and volume of ingredients may be
updated.
At block 608, the recipe instructions are displayed. The
instructions may initially indicate to the user to place a
container, such as a cocktail shaker, upon the beverage coaster.
The recipe instructions may then instruct the user to add various
ingredients in the necessary volumes. As the user adds the
ingredients, the beverage coaster can determine the additional
weight being added to the beverage coaster, which can be correlated
to a volume of the particular ingredient being added. For example,
the computing device may maintain a database of weights and
measures of various ingredients. These weights and measures may
include a specific gravity and/or density of various liquids and
items. The specific gravity and/or density can be used to correlate
weight to volume. Therefore, where a recipe specifies a volume of
liquid to be added, as liquid is added and its weight is measured,
the computing device may determine the volume that has been added
to the container.
At block 610, the computing device wirelessly pairs with the
beverage coaster, such as through a BLE connection. The connection
may be initiated by pressing a button on the beverage coaster that
may put the beverage coaster into a pairing mode in which it
broadcasts its presence. The computing device may detect the
presence of the beverage coaster and may pair with it to provide
for bi-directional communication between the beverage coaster and
the computing device. Of course, the pairing may occur at any point
in the process illustrated in FIG. 6, and may even be the first
step in the process.
At block 612, the computing device receives a weight measurement
from the beverage coaster. The weight measurement may be associated
with the weight of a container or may be associated with a weight
of an added ingredient to the container.
At block 614, the beverage coaster weight measurement is tared. In
other words, where a container is the first item placed upon the
beverage coaster, the beverage coaster may be "zeroed" so as to
ignore the weight of the container in the total weight measurement.
Of course, the computing device may simply ignore the weight of the
container and need not tare the beverage coaster weight measurement
at all, but rather simply track the cumulative additions to the
container as it displays the progress of the recipe.
At block 616, the computing device receives an intermediate weight
measurement from the beverage coaster. The intermediate weight
measurement may be associated with the addition of liquid to the
container that is upon the beverage coaster. In some embodiments,
multiple intermediate weight measurements are received by the
computing device. In some embodiments, intermediate weight
measurements are received at a rate that allows the computing
device to continually update its display of the total volume of
ingredients as the ingredients are being added to the
container.
At block 618, the computing device updates its display to reflect
the intermediate weight measurement. The updated weight measurement
may appear to occur as the ingredients are added to the container.
Taking into account hardware, software, and communication lag
times, which may be on the order of milliseconds, the display on
the computing device may appear to be updating as the ingredients
are actually being added. The intermediate weight measurements may
be received by the computing device at such a speed to allow the
computing device to indicate when the necessary volume of an
ingredient has been added, and allow the user to stop adding
additional ingredient without going over a threshold amount of the
ingredient.
However, where the volume of an ingredient is added in such a
volume as to exceed a threshold amount above the volume indicated
by the recipe, the computing device may recalculate the serving
size and instruct the user to add additional ingredients to
maintain a ratio of ingredients within the container.
At block 620, an indication may be provided to a user of the
beverage coaster that a volume of ingredient added to the container
meets a target volume of that ingredient based upon the recipe and
the serving size. In other words, where a user is instructed to add
0.25 fl. oz. of vermouth, the display on the computing device may
update as the user adds the ingredient. As the total volume of
vermouth reaches a target threshold, a notification is given to the
user that the proper amount of vermouth has been added to the
container. If, however, the user adds more than the required
amount, such that the amount is above a threshold amount, such as
10% for example, the computing device may instruct the user to add
additional amounts of gin to maintain the proper ratio of gin to
vermouth according to the martini recipe that the computing device
is instructing the user to make.
The indication may be visual, such as a graphic showing the actual
volume of ingredient compared to a target volume of ingredient. The
indication may also be auditory or visual. In some embodiments, the
computing device outputs an audible signal when the target volume
of an ingredient has been reached. This allows the user to focus on
pouring the ingredient into the container without having to watch
the display of the computing device. In some embodiments, the
indication may be visual, such as by a light within the coaster. As
an example, a light may flash, slowly at first, and as the target
volume is approached, the light may flash faster and faster until
the target volume is met at which point the light may continually
be illuminated. Alternatively, the light may display green light to
indicate to the user to continue adding ingredients. The light may
change to yellow to indicate that the volume of ingredient is
approaching the target volume, and then turn red when the target
has been reached.
With reference to FIG. 7, a sample user interface 700 is provided
on the computing device 702 that allows a user to enter the amount
of available ingredients. The user interface is provided as part of
an application that may be installed on a computing device 702,
such as a mobile computing device. As shown, the display may be
provided in multiple columns the first column 704 indicating an
ingredient, the second column 706 indicating whether some of the
ingredient is available, and a third column 708 that allows a user
to enter the volume of available ingredient.
In some embodiments, as the computing device is used in conjunction
with the beverage coaster to facilitate a user following a recipe,
the volume of ingredients used for the recipe may be tracked and
subtracted from the volume of available ingredients. Accordingly,
when the volume of available ingredients reaches a minimum
threshold value, the user may be prompted to purchase additional
ingredients to replenish the available supply. The user may be
provided with a method of purchasing additional ingredients, such
as a link to an online shopping and/or delivery service. The
minimum threshold may be specified by the user, by the consumption
rate of the ingredient, by the computing device, or by some other
metric or combination of metrics. In some cases, where the
computing device tracks that the user historically consumes 750 mL
of vodka each month, as the volume of available vodka drops below a
threshold volume, such as 250 mL, for example, the user may be
prompted to purchase additional vodka and may be provided with an
option for purchasing additional vodka directly from the computing
device. In some embodiments, the user may be presented with an
opportunity to purchase additional ingredients at a discount. As an
example, a user may be provided with a link to purchase a certain
brand or certain type of vodka for a discounted price. The discount
may be provided, in some cases, in response to the volume of
available vodka dropping below a threshold volume.
Of course, the illustrated user interface is only provided as an
example, and many other layouts, formats, and submenus may be
possible without deviating from the description provided
herein.
With reference to FIG. 8, a sample user interface is illustrated
that provides a user with categories of recipes to select from. The
recipes may be added by the user, may be downloaded from a
repository, may be preloaded in the user interface, or may be
pushed to the device by a third party. For example, in some cases,
a user may manually enter a recipe. A user may also browse
available recipes from one or more repositories of recipes and
select one or more recipes for download onto the user device. In
other cases, a third party, such as the developer of the
application, or a beverage distiller or distributor, may push a
recipe to the device of a user. In these cases, a user may opt-in
to receive new recipes. The user may be incentivized to opt-in to
receiving new recipes, such as by receiving discounts on
ingredients or being included as a test-customer for new products
or flavors.
The available recipes may be categorized. For example, one or more
recipes for a martini 802 may be categorized together and
represented by a martini logo. Similarly, one or more margarita
recipes 804 may be categorized together. Of course, other forms of
recipe categorization may be provided, such as by primary
ingredient. That is, a user can select recipes that use rum as a
primary ingredient and view available recipes that fit this
criteria. A user may be able to indicate a rating of one or more
recipes, or designate some recipes as "favorites." Through this
type of user input, the recipes can be sorted, presented as a list
of favorites, searched for ingredients that appear frequently in
the recipes, or used to recommend additional recipes similar to
those highest rated recipes by the user.
FIG. 9 illustrates another user interface 900 that can be used in
conjunction with the beverage coaster 102. In the illustrated user
interface, a build column 902 shows the list of ingredients and a
mixology progress indicator 904. Once a user selects a recipe, the
user interface 900 may display a title of the recipe 906. A list of
ingredients may additionally be displayed in the build column 902,
and a container 908 can be displayed to indicate to the user the
type of container to be used for mixing the beverage.
A serving size indicator 910 indicates how many servings the recipe
will result in. A user may alter the number of servings within the
serving size indicator 910 to scale the recipe for additional
servings. Additionally, a user may provide an indication that he
would like to double the amount of alcohol in the mixed beverage
and the computing device may adjust the recipe accordingly and
display the adjusted recipe in the build column 902 in the
predetermined proportions.
Instructions can be provided to the user. Initially, the
instructions may prompt the user to connect the computing device to
the beverage coaster, such as through the BLE connection. The
instructions may further provide step-by-step instructions for
connecting the computing device to the beverage coaster. The
instructions may be visual, such as by displaying them on the
computing device, or may be provided verbally through the speaker
of the computing device, or may be provided through a combination
of delivery methods or provided in some other manner.
The instructions may further prompt a user to place the indicated
container 908 on the beverage coaster. The beverage coaster can
provide a weight measurement of the container to the computing
device and the computing device may be able to determine that the
appropriate container has been place on the beverage coaster based
upon the measured weight of the container.
The instructions may then prompt the user to add 2 fl. oz. of vodka
to the container. The beverage coaster can provide continually
updated weight measurements to the computing device and the
computing device can display the amount of vodka added to the
container, which may be in real time. That is, the display can be
updated to indicate the actual amount of ingredients added to the
container such that when the display indicates the required amount
of ingredient is added to the container, the user can stop adding
the ingredient and the actual amount of ingredient in the container
will be very near the required amount of ingredient. As the user
pours the ingredient, the progress indicator 904 can track the
progress toward the required amount and provide visual feedback as
to the progress toward the target amount of ingredient.
Additionally, the computing device may provide audio feedback
representing the progress so that the user need not watch the
display of the computing device to be able to track progress toward
the target amount of ingredient. The audio feedback may include,
for example, voice feedback indicating the progress, a countdown
until the target amount is reached, an rising or falling pitch, or
some other form of audio feedback that indicates when the target
amount of ingredient is reached.
The instructions may then proceed to the next step and instruct the
user to add 0.75 fl. oz. of triple sec. The user interface may
proceed in this manner to track the total amount of ingredients
added to the container. It should be noted that while the recipe
instructions are shown in volumetric measurements and the beverage
coaster provides weight measurements, the computing device is able
to calculate the added volume based upon the indicated weight. This
may be accomplished, for example, by accessing a database that
includes volume to weight conversions, or alternatively or
additionally, includes liquid density for one or more of the
ingredients in the recipe.
If a user adds too much of an ingredient, the computing device may
scale the recipe to account for the excess ingredient and may
provide further instructions for maintaining the predetermined
ratio of ingredients. For example, if the user adds 2.5 fl. oz. of
vodka instead of the target 2 fl. oz., the recipe may indicate that
it has now recalculated the recipe to make 1.25 servings and adjust
the remaining ingredients accordingly based upon the initial
ingredient ratios and provide updated instructions.
The user interface 900 may include additional features, such as for
example, a "favorite" button 912 that allows a user to indicate
that the recipe is a favorite of the user. Additional features may
include an option to add notes 914 which allows the user to add
personal notes related to the beverage, the instructions, or the
process that can be accessed at a future time. An additional
feature may provide an "order more" button 916 that may allow the
user to order additional ingredients. The order more button 916 may
provide a link to an online retailer, a local delivery service, or
some other form of service that allows the user to conduct a
transaction to purchase additional ingredients.
With reference to FIG. 10, a system 1000 is shown in which a
plurality of beverage coasters 1002 are distributed to various
locations and ultimate end users. The beverage coasters 1002 may
each be associated with a computing device (not shown). The
beverage coaster, or the computing device, or both, can communicate
with a central server 1004 in order to send information related to
the use of the beverage coasters 1002.
The central server 1004 may have one or more processors 1006 and
computer-readable media 1008. The computer-readable media 1008 may
be non-transitory media, such as removable or non-removable
hardware-based media which may store various modules, instructions,
or routines. The computer-readable media 1008 may store a recipe
module 1010, a usage module 1012, and a customer profile module
1014, among others.
The recipe module 1010 may store a collection of recipes, such as
in a database, and can push recipes out to one or more of the
plurality of beverage coasters 1002. The recipes may be pushed
based upon a variety of factors, such as a features recipe, a
featured ingredient, a popular recipe, or some other factor. The
beverage coasters 1002 can communicate with the central server 1004
over a network 1016, such as the Internet. While the description
references the beverage coasters 1002 communicating with the
central server 1004, it should be appreciated that in those
embodiments where the beverage coasters 1002 are not configured for
Internet communications, the communication is between a computing
device associated with individual ones of the beverage coasters
1002 and the central server 1004. For instance, a computing device
may be associated with a beverage coaster by pairing with the
beverage coaster, such as through Bluetooth, or Bluetooth Low
Energy wireless communication, and the computing device may be
responsible for communicating with the central servers 1004 in
order to exchange information including, among other things,
recipes, usage statistics, product orders, offers, and the
like.
In some situations, a beverage company, such as a distiller,
manufacturer, or distributor may wish to provide a beverage coaster
to one or more of its customers. The beverage coaster may be
provided as a promotional item or may be sold to customers. In some
cases, the computing device associated with a user of the beverage
coaster may be required, or encouraged, to register the computing
device with the beverage company. In this way, the beverage company
can collect statistics related to available ingredients, point of
use consumption data, and a preference for specific recipes or
ingredients, among other types of information. In return, the
beverage company may push additional recipes, discounts,
opportunities to order additional ingredients, or other promotions
or notifications to the user.
The beverage coaster may be distributed with instructions for
downloading a software application to the computing device of the
user. The software application may be provided by the beverage
company and may therefore be branded to reflect the source of the
beverage coaster and the software application, and may further
promote recipes or ingredients that feature the beverage company's
products. Similarly, the beverage coaster itself may be
branded.
The customer profile module 1014 may store information related to
an individual beverage coaster as the central server 1004 receives
information. For instance, a beverage coaster may send information
to the central server 1004 and may include an identifier specific
to the individual beverage coaster. In this way, the customer
profile module 1014 can associate a specific beverage coaster with
a particular customer. This association may also be enhanced
through information shared with registration of an application, as
described.
The computing device may additionally provide information to the
central servers 1004 regarding rating of recipes, personal notes
regarding recipes or products, and may place orders for additional
ingredients. Of course, other information may be shared with the
central servers 1004 that is not specifically described herein.
From the foregoing, it will be appreciated that, although specific
implementations have been described herein for purposes of
illustration, various modifications may be made without deviating
from the spirit and scope of the appended claims and the elements
recited therein. In addition, while certain aspects are presented
below in certain claim forms, the inventors contemplate the various
aspects in any available claim form. For example, while only some
aspects may currently be recited as being embodied in a particular
configuration, other aspects may likewise be so embodied. Various
modifications and changes may be made as would be obvious to a
person skilled in the art having the benefit of this disclosure. It
is intended to embrace all such modifications and changes and,
accordingly, the above description is to be regarded in an
illustrative rather than a restrictive sense.
* * * * *